Delon Armitage will return to training with London Irish this week, three months after having an operation on his shoulder. While the Premiership, never mind the national side, desperately needs the England full-back's counter-attacking instincts and daring, Saturday's stodge showed the modern full-back must possess a giant leap and elasticated arms.
The man of a depressingly dreary match was the Worcester No15, Chris Latham, who had the reach in the air of an Australian Rules player and a boot to go with it. Irish kept the Wallaby well supplied in a tame forfeiture of hard-won possession and were fortunate to emerge with their second draw in four league matches.
They remain second, despite winning two of their last five games, a spread that has served up a mere four tries, one of them the penalty try Worcester were awarded here after Irish were blown for collapsing a scrum and then for boring in, after the Warriors had achieved forward momentum.
Worcester stay in the bottom three, having failed to win any of their last six matches. Their backs last scored a Premiership try in September and this was their third successive draw. They have played three of the top four sides away, securing a bonus point at Northampton and Leicester, and in the previous round became the first side to take points off the leaders, Saracens.
They are obdurate and hard to beat but less adept at taking the game to opponents. The way professional rugby is now, if one side is not interested in an open game, it becomes a matter of the lowest common denominator. Irish have had to curb their natural instincts but with the wings Topsy Ojo, who has not played this season because of a knee injury, and Sailosi Tagicakibau also due to return this month, their kick chasing should improve, at least.
Irish have offered the much-travelled wing John Rudd a contract for the rest of the season. He was the one player to cross the line on Saturday, bisecting two tight-five forwards, Craig Gillies and Tevita Taumoepeau, after coming into the midfield and taking a short pass from Paul Hodgson. Otherwise it was a shooting contest between the two fly-halves and a battle for the sky.
"I spoke to Bob Casey [the Irish captain] afterwards and he said that we deserved to win," said Worcester's director of rugby, Mike Ruddock. "We have played the top two sides in the last two weeks and could have beaten them both."
His opposite number, Toby Booth, did not disagree, saying: "We were a little naive and made Latham look great. I am happier to take two points than none." That said it all.
London Irish Lennard; Hewat, Seveali'i, Mapusua, Rudd; Lamb, Richards (Hodgson, 22); Murphy (Dermody, 52), Paice (Coetzee, 72), Ion, Kennedy (Roche, 77), Casey (capt), Thorpe (Fisher, 72), S Armitage, Hala'Ufia.
Try Rudd Con Lamb Pens Lamb 3.
Worcester Latham; Gear, Rasmussen, Tuitupou, Benjamin; Walker, Arr; A Black, Lutui (Fortey, 65), Taumoepeau (Sourgens, 80), Rawlinson, Gillies (Bowley, 77), Wood, Sanderson (capt; Collins, 80), Horstmann.
Try Penalty Con Walker Pens Walker 3.
Sin-bin Rawlinson, 9; Wood, 32.
Referee T Wigglesworth (Yorkshire) Attendance 8,561.
